Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. A lot of people have the expectation that once there was a guilty verdict, whether it be through trial, whether it be through pleading guilty, that loved ones and family members would wake up to the truth. The decision by Ocampo followed weeks of testimony by California state agents about her role in delivering young women to Garcia for sexually deviant acts, many of which she recorded on video for him. This is actually despite the fact he was born as the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores (his predecessor) and Eva Garca Lpez in May 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. 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This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. "All this goes to show that although you are part of this world, you have accepted a very particular way of life because you are Christian," Snchez-Walsh said. The KCAL News Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on KCALNews.com and CBSLA.com. But criminal attorney Fred Thiagarajah,who at various points was involved on both sides of the case, noted the reality waiting for Garcain prison will likely be a stark awakening for the self-described Apostle, if not his followers. The California Department of Justice arrested Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Agents also testified that Ocampo would take the young girls to Victorias Secret stores to buy lingerie for them to wear as she filmed them for the Apostle.. As a result, he pled guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. The church's doctrine is learned from the cradle. And unfortunately, I see a lot of lamentations of family and family members that are out online saying that they feel very sad, he said. Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov, State of California Department of Justice, Consumer Protection and Economic Opportunity, California Justice Information Services (CJIS), helped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, push for the passage of the federal Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, Attorney General Becerra Announces Arrest of Naasn Joaqu. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury in June. Just days before his long-awaited trial was set to start, La Luz del Mundo leader Naason Joaquin Garcia pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing girls from his congregation, a stunning. ", Garca "will continue ministering to the church," the statement said. ", First published on September 19, 2022 / 8:20 AM. Los Angeles, A $150,000 executive protection dog? This, as explained at the time by the prosecutor in charge of the case, because there was a suspicion that his followers would seek to pay the fine. It is Mexicos largest evangelical church and has branches in 50 countries, including churches in East and West Los Angeles. He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. Garcias lawyers didnt immediately return requests for comment; a church spokesman had no immediate comment. Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. Where Are Naasn Joaqun Garcia's Wife and Kids Now? The suit was filed by five women who - under the pseudonym Jane Doe - were identified as victims in the original criminal charges against him. God has his plan.. ", They spoke of how they had been manipulated and told they would be damned if they refused. Ocampo has been held in custody for more than a year since her arrest with Garcia on his private jet at the Los Angeles airport by California law enforcement. Naason Joaquin Garcia was arrested in L.A. this past summer and charged with child sexual abuse and human trafficking. Additionally, Attorney General Becerra testified before the U.S. Senate to push for the passage of the federal Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, which became law in 2018. Naasn Joaqun Garcia -- the leader of La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World) -- was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty Friday to two counts of forcible oral. Said parishioner Robert Pelegreen at the time: When David was going to fight Goliath, it looked like he was going to lose. Apart from Naasn, his mother, wife, brother, and children were named in the lawsuit for being aware of the abuse. In 2018, Attorney General Becerracharged the operators of Rainbow Bright, a California adult residential and childcare company, with 59 criminal counts for alleged human trafficking and other alleged labor-related violations. Both father and son have been accused of using the churchs young members as sexual servants, of leading lavish lifestyles on the backs of their followers and of intimidating church members into silence and submission. [9] He will soon face a civil trial for such crimes as human trafficking and forced labor. Joaqun Garca's prison sentence in June came after nearly three hours of emotional statements by five young women he was charged with sexually abusing. ", "I worshipped my abuser," said a woman identified as Jane Doe 4 and said she was his niece. Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday. The church's media relations office claims there is no crime in the area. "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. Authorities continue to search for a fourth suspect, Azalea Rangel Melendez. Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the nearly 17-year prison sentence imposed by the court for Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo. Garca, 53, received a sentence of 16 years and 8 months in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday. The grandson of the church's founder, Garca maintained his innocence following his arrest but eventually pleaded guilty in June 2022 to two counts of forcible oral copulation on a minor and one. La Luz del Mundo dissidents seek more charges . Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty. His continued hold on his flock was evident recently at the Christian church's main temple in Guadalajara, as thousands gathered to pray for their absent leader during their Holy Supper, the most sacred festivity for La Luz del Mundo. One of the perpetrators was Naasn Joaqun Garcia, the third leader of the organization, who was accused of sexually abusing and even trafficking countless young children over many years. The conviction comes just days ahead of trial, which was set to begin on Monday. 6 min read. On June 3, 2019, Naasn, Susana, and Alondra landed in a private jet at the Los Angeles International Airport, where they were arrested. [1], Joaqun Garca was born on May 7, 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores and Eva Garca. [7], Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo were also charged. It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. Shame on you!". Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of the La Luz del Mundo, Spanish for The Light of the World, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, on June 5, 2019. We should mention that according to Vice, apart from Naasn, his family has also faced accusations of sexual abuse against minors. Last year, Attorney General Becerrahelped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, Backpage.com, and convicted its CEO. Bail was set at a stunning $25 million for Naason Joaquin . Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. While Flores was never charged with a crime, Garcias arrest and the subsequent charges against him made international headlines. To gasps of surprise, Joaqun Garca addressed the congregation by telephone from his Los Angeles prison, where he is serving a 16-year sentence. The state of California refiled charges against Megachurch leader Naasn Joaqun Garca last week for child rape and human trafficking. Newsweek has asked the office of California's attorney general for comment on the church's claims. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. Jericho, Bethlehem and Nazareth are among the names of roads converging on the white temple that locals call "the cake," for its white tiers that diminish in size as they rise upward. Naasn Merar Joaqun Garca (born on May 7, 1969) is a Mexican religious leader and convicted child molester who is the third leader of the La Luz del Mundo church, succeeding his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, in December 2014. In 2014, he succeeded his father as the new leader AKA the Apostle of the La Luz del Mundo. "And for those family members that have abandoned you, shame! Biblical verses are cited to explain behavior. Kellermeyer said his wife who earlier pled guilty was preparing to be the star witness at Garcas trial and was disappointed not to have the opportunity to testifyhaving hoped to reach dedicated church members, like her own parents, still in the church who refuse to believe that Garca is guilty. She was also part of the team that was a 2020 Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of the Conception boat fire off the Channel Islands. Christopher Kellermeyer, whose wife Alondra Ocampo was charged with being Garcas accomplice by acting as a groomer, said Garcas followers would not be easily persuaded of his guilt. The RICO suit names him, the organization called Light of the World, his mother, his wife, his brother, and many of the leaders of the organization. Moreover, the eldest Joaqun child has even been quite active in the La Luz del Mundo congregation lately and could potentially be preparing to succeed his father. He called Garca a sexual predator. Oaxaca pleaded guilty to one count of assault likely to cause great bodily injury on Friday also. She was accused of grooming teenage girls for Garcias sexual pleasure. It accuses Joaqun Garca of conditioning victims, under the guise of religion, to serve him above all else, ultimately resulting in the sexual abuse over the course of several years. I wouldnt doubt that theyll continue with the same logic, because weve already seen it, she said, pointing to sexual abuse allegations that Garcias father and grandfather, both of whom led the church, also faced. Emailus. He's known to church members as Aarn - a result, he said, of God asking him to change his name. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human trafficking, sexual abuse of minors and extortion. Thats because it charts not just the way the titular Mexican non-traditional Christian Church took advantage of minors for years but also the 2019 apprehension of leader Naasn Joaqun Garcia. In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. The revival consists of repeating "Glory to Christ" nonstop until the youths are heard speaking in tongues to testify that the Holy Spirit has entered them. [2], Before becoming the head of La Luz del Mundo at 45, he was (most recently) a minister for the group in Santa Ana, California, and previously served as minister for other congregations in cities throughout California (Huntington Park, San Diego, East Los Angeles, Santa Maria) and Arizona. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. For some young people, these steps include memorizing songs honoring the apostle, reading the Bible before bed and not marrying someone from outside the church. Although, he denied the charges, including raping and trafficking girls from his congregation. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. It should be reiterated that this religious entity, like its leader, has been surrounded by controversies, investigations and allegations: in December 2020, the Financial Intelligence Unit filed five complaints against it. March 21, 2022 17:02 ET | Source: The Light of the World. Prosecutors said that the crimes dated back to at least 2015. Times staff writers Jany and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles, Miller from Mexico City. Held in jail on $90-million bail, Garcia faced charges ranging from human trafficking and rape to forcible oral copulation of a minor and possession of child pornography. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the church's leader, a man considered by congregants an apostle of Jesus Christ, had just been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for committing acts of sexual abuse . In total, there are more than 30 crimes in total, including child pornography and trafficking in persons, committed between 2015 and 2018. They were suspected of committing 26 felonies in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018. She claimed facing decades of abuse at the hands of the leaders, including Naasn and his late father, Samuel Joaqun Flores. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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